[thelist] Web Developer Certification

Jerry Scannell JerryScannell at cox.net
Mon Nov 25 18:44:01 CST 2002


Fellow Developers,

This thread is of extreme interest to me.  You see, I have been a software
engineer for 23 years.  I have been a web developer since 1998.  I am self
taught in the Web world.  I have web skills in ASP, JavaScript, HTML,
database in general.

In the past 2.5 years I have been laid off  3 times.  Out of work for 2
Months, 4 Months, and 4 months in between each.

The reason I was out for so long?  I applied for dozens of job openings but
hardly ever got even a call.  I took the initiative several times and called
the potential company or HeadHunter - asked why they didn't call me - found
out in almost every instance that because I didn't know one particular buzz
word  (perhaps Dreamweaver or JSP or Flash.  Whatever) that they wouldn't
call.  When I responded that their particular need only centered on someone
learing a "tool" - and that they should look at the 22+ years experience and
that along the way I (as well as EVERY developer) had to learn something
new - learned it and became good at it AND not knowing someing is not a
concern for a true professional.  (example: If you were looking for someone
to drive a Mercury Grand Marquis would you not look at someone who could
drive a Ford Crown Vic?)  They would always respond to me that they were
looking for the one thing and that was that.

That self-centered approach to hiring people is wrong.  Having blinders on
when looking for qualified, talented developers is something that is going
to affect each of us somewhere along the way.

Therefore, I am in favor of certification IF it really can mean something
when you are looking for a job!  Right now I don't think that it will help
us in the job hunt because they aren't looking at our credentials anyway!
The HR departments have probably hired high school students to help them
sift through resumes and wouldn't know MCSE certification from a hole in the
wall!!

Just my 2 cents.

Jerry





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